The art collection of the Dresdener court in the 18th century is recognized as the best historical example of international cultural and artistic exchange in Europe and of the foundation of the modern museum. The Dresdener court, which had just enhanced its status from an elector to a kingdom that included Polish territory, brought out in same time a cultural restoration that was defined as "Die Augusteische Epoche". These Developments of the cultural status emerged in the unprecedented expansion of the art collection, which had been achieved intermittently since the Renaissance, and in the reorganization of the early 'Kunstkammer' to the modern museum. Until then art collection was a cultural phenomenon resulting from individual taste or possessiveness of a lord, but in the Baroque period it gained new functions to represent the power of a nation and to announce its cultural status. Thereafter, namely during the Enlightenment period in the 18th century, art collection obtained significant cultural value, in addition to the above-mentioned purposes, and also came to serve as an autonomous institution. Dresdener Staatliche Gemaldegalerie today is a heritage created by such history. The characteristic of this museum is that it is the collector of representative Italian works of the Renaissance, Baroque and the 18th century periods. This collection was achieved mainly by international purchase of the artworks during the same century. For effective and precise art collection the Dresdener Court made good use of many agencies and had set up various diplomatic lines. One of the objectives of this study is to demonstrate that Francesco Algarotti, a Venetian scholar, had involved himself in that international art collecting process, and that his contribution to the foundation of the modern museum was significant in the development of the history of art as well. Algarotti carried on the purchase of paintings, commissioned by the Court, from 1742 to 1746, for about for 7 years in Italy. He was already famous for his sociality and intelligence, and was known as the one of the most prominent Italian Enlightenment scholars. He was welcome in almost every royal court in Europe. Algarotti began his task with a proposal for the reorganization of the royal collection based on his background of theoretical and historical knowledge. With his museum proposal, which was under the title "Progetto per ridurre a compimento il regio museo di Dresda" he began to take part in the art purchase of the Dresdener Court. In this proposal Algarotti discussed conditions and systems of the modern museum, and systematization of the art collection. To him the practice of art collection had to fulfill such conditions, and went beyond the private tastes of collectors, aiming towards a dimension of art-historical and modern museum. Furthermore, making reference about the classification of art works and the establishment of space for display, Algarotti mentioned the architecture of museums, which should be built more systematically and modern. His proposal reflects the historicism that set up on the Enlightenment period and precedes the modern museum, which is characterized by its publicity and autonomy. Algarotti set to his work according to the proposal and tried to buy paintings especially in Italy. Except for a few pieces, the works he purchased in Venice and Mantua are representative works of each period. Although he was not a professional dealer, he was a philosopher with an international carrier, and was equipped with excellent sociality and relationship networks throughout all courts in Europe. This capability of Algarotti made him the official agent for the Dresdener Court, and he expected the court to nominate him as director of the museum that would be established according to his own proposal. It is known that a total of 34 paintings were purchased by Algarotti according to documentations in Treviso and in the national archive in Dresden. Now the gallery keeps 29 paintings among them. The best part of Algarotti's purchase was mostly auctioned off in 1763 to other courts, such as the Russian Court, following the "Seven Years War." Algarotti's high qualified artistic eye and his business skills eventually lost their lust due to the competitive relationships among other agencies in his time. Especially the affair in Modena, which took place in 1746, caused Algarotti to lose his leadership in the purchase against his rival Bonaventura Rossi. Consequently, he lost his status in the Dresdener Court as well. As a result of this affair we know that the activity of art agencies and their purchases were very important social events and also that the undercover struggles between courts and agencies, and the strategies by which more qualified works were acquired constituted a certain context of the art history. Although Algarotti's personal ambition towards the Dresdener Court failed, his attempt for systematization, and for modernization of collection and museums was significant that it presented a new guideline for the modern museum, based on his proposal for systemization based on art history and education of public nature. Since then the Gemaldegalerie developed as Algarotti had intended. Exchange of art works between Germany and Italy by Algarotti does not mean only purchase and transfer of art works. It is a signal of the upcoming Neoclassicism, in which archeology, art history and the museum institution established by them were formed. Algarotti's contribution is not in the successful purchase of art works, but rather in his proposal and the activities to realize it. Furthermore, Algarotti tried to introduce Venetian art in his time to Europe, to widen the scope of activity of Venetian artists, and finally to get their works collected by each royal court. Therefore, he proved himself to be a valuable personality in art history. Although his proposal could not be realized, the new historical knowledge and criticism of the art work, and the systematical collecting and displaying according to such theoretical foundations pursued by Algarotti were eventually succeeded and realized by Winckelmann and Mengs, who were also based in Dresden. This serves as proof that his contribution and influence were not confined to just the purchase of art works.

The art collection of the Dresdener court in the 18th century is recognized as the best historical example of international cultural and artistic exchange in Europe and of the foundation of the modern museum. The Dresdener court, which had just enhanced its status from an elector to a kingdom that included Polish territory, brought out in same time a cultural restoration that was defined as "Die Augusteische Epoche". These Developments of the cultural status emerged in the unprecedented expansion of the art collection, which had been achieved intermittently since the Renaissance, and in the reorganization of the early 'Kunstkammer' to the modern museum. Until then art collection was a cultural phenomenon resulting from individual taste or possessiveness of a lord, but in the Baroque period it gained new functions to represent the power of a nation and to announce its cultural status. Thereafter, namely during the Enlightenment period in the 18th century, art collection obtained significant cultural value, in addition to the above-mentioned purposes, and also came to serve as an autonomous institution. Dresdener Staatliche Gemaldegalerie today is a heritage created by such history. The characteristic of this museum is that it is the collector of representative Italian works of the Renaissance, Baroque and the 18th century periods. This collection was achieved mainly by international purchase of the artworks during the same century. For effective and precise art collection the Dresdener Court made good use of many agencies and had set up various diplomatic lines. One of the objectives of this study is to demonstrate that Francesco Algarotti, a Venetian scholar, had involved himself in that international art collecting process, and that his contribution to the foundation of the modern museum was significant in the development of the history of art as well. Algarotti carried on the purchase of paintings, commissioned by the Court, from 1742 to 1746, for about for 7 years in Italy. He was already famous for his sociality and intelligence, and was known as the one of the most prominent Italian Enlightenment scholars. He was welcome in almost every royal court in Europe. Algarotti began his task with a proposal for the reorganization of the royal collection based on his background of theoretical and historical knowledge. With his museum proposal, which was under the title "Progetto per ridurre a compimento il regio museo di Dresda" he began to take part in the art purchase of the Dresdener Court. In this proposal Algarotti discussed conditions and systems of the modern museum, and systematization of the art collection. To him the practice of art collection had to fulfill such conditions, and went beyond the private tastes of collectors, aiming towards a dimension of art-historical and modern museum. Furthermore, making reference about the classification of art works and the establishment of space for display, Algarotti mentioned the architecture of museums, which should be built more systematically and modern. His proposal reflects the historicism that set up on the Enlightenment period and precedes the modern museum, which is characterized by its publicity and autonomy. Algarotti set to his work according to the proposal and tried to buy paintings especially in Italy. Except for a few pieces, the works he purchased in Venice and Mantua are representative works of each period. Although he was not a professional dealer, he was a philosopher with an international carrier, and was equipped with excellent sociality and relationship networks throughout all courts in Europe. This capability of Algarotti made him the official agent for the Dresdener Court, and he expected the court to nominate him as director of the museum that would be established according to his own proposal. It is known that a total of 34 paintings were purchased by Algarotti according to documentations in Treviso and in the national archive in Dresden. Now the gallery keeps 29 paintings among them. The best part of Algarotti's purchase was mostly auctioned off in 1763 to other courts, such as the Russian Court, following the "Seven Years War." Algarotti's high qualified artistic eye and his business skills eventually lost their lust due to the competitive relationships among other agencies in his time. Especially the affair in Modena, which took place in 1746, caused Algarotti to lose his leadership in the purchase against his rival Bonaventura Rossi. Consequently, he lost his status in the Dresdener Court as well. As a result of this affair we know that the activity of art agencies and their purchases were very important social events and also that the undercover struggles between courts and agencies, and the strategies by which more qualified works were acquired constituted a certain context of the art history. Although Algarotti's personal ambition towards the Dresdener Court failed, his attempt for systematization, and for modernization of collection and museums was significant that it presented a new guideline for the modern museum, based on his proposal for systemization based on art history and education of public nature. Since then the Gemaldegalerie developed as Algarotti had intended. Exchange of art works between Germany and Italy by Algarotti does not mean only purchase and transfer of art works. It is a signal of the upcoming Neoclassicism, in which archeology, art history and the museum institution established by them were formed. Algarotti's contribution is not in the successful purchase of art works, but rather in his proposal and the activities to realize it. Furthermore, Algarotti tried to introduce Venetian art in his time to Europe, to widen the scope of activity of Venetian artists, and finally to get their works collected by each royal court. Therefore, he proved himself to be a valuable personality in art history. Although his proposal could not be realized, the new historical knowledge and criticism of the art work, and the systematical collecting and displaying according to such theoretical foundations pursued by Algarotti were eventually succeeded and realized by Winckelmann and Mengs, who were also based in Dresden. This serves as proof that his contribution and influence were not confined to just the purchase of art works.